PA/16/13 11 April 2013
Retail Skills Councils Strengthen Collaboration
In Mumbai today, Service Skills Australia (SSA), Australia’s Industry Skills Council for service industries including retail, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India’s Retailers Association’s Skill Council of India (RASCI).
Australian Consul-General to Mumbai, Mr Steve Waters, said “I welcome this cooperation between our two countries’ retail skills councils. Such collaboration is of great benefit to both nations as it supports the building of high quality, industry led trained workforces”.
During the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s State Visit to India last year, both Prime Ministers welcomed collaboration in key industry areas including retail, mining, agriculture, telecommunications and entertainment between Australian and Indian skills councils.
“This agreement is testament of the Australia India Education Council’s commitment to building strategic skills partnerships between India and Australia” said Mr Waters.
The MoU was signed by the Chairman of RASCI, Mr Bijay Sahoo, and CEO of SSA, Ms Jeanette Allen, in the presence of Mr Steve Waters, Mr James Raphael, Vice President of RASCI and representatives of India’s National Skill Development Corporation.
Mr. Sahoo said “The MOU commits us to work in alignment towards achieving our common goals. This progressive step would give an impetus to the development of the retail skills ecosystem in both the nations.
“This MoU expands existing cooperation between SSA and RASCI. It recognises the value in industry engagement and in the development of work appropriate standards in the field of retail skills training”said Ms Allen.
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